The Miami Heat’s performance has been worrying since Jimmy Butler left the team. The Heat, once known for their tough defense and team play, now seem to lack strength in the clutch. In particular, their offensive problems have been exposed in recent games, and it seems that they lack a core player who can change the course of a game. Even a weak team like the Hornets was able to use simple tactics to reverse the Heat, which makes people wonder: do the Heat really regret losing Butler?
1. The Hornets reversed the Heat: simple tactics to defeat a complex system
1.1 How did the Hornets reverse the Heat?
In the fourth quarter against the Hornets, the Hornets scored a 14-3 run in just two and a half minutes, tying and then surpassing the Heat, who had been down by 11 points. Despite the Heat’s attempts to switch between a zone and man-to-man defense to deal with the pick-and-roll of LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams, the defense was completely torn apart. What’s worse is that the Heat’s offense stalled, with almost no contributions from anyone except for a three-pointer from Wiggins.
Eventually, a breakaway by Ball led to a three-point basket by Bridges, which sealed the victory. Tyler Herro failed to respond, and the opponent seized the opportunity to finish the game with a fast break dunk. This game not only demonstrated the execution of the Hornets, but also revealed the current dilemma of the Heat – they lack a leader who can step up in critical moments.
1.2 Why did the Hornets win?
It is worth noting that the Hornets are a team that ranks last in the East and has the worst offensive efficiency in the league. Many of their key players were absent due to injury, and even Okogie basically said goodbye to the season due to a hamstring injury. However, it is this ragtag team that was able to easily crack the Heat’s defense in the final moments. This shows that the Heat’s system is no longer functioning effectively, especially without a superstar.
2. Recent performance of the Heat: losing is the norm
2.1 Losing key games one after the other
Since narrowly defeating the Pacers by 5 points, the Heat have been caught in a “losing curse”. Whether they are facing strong teams like the Knicks and Cavaliers, mid-range teams like the Timberwolves and Bulls, or even weak teams like the Hornets, they have all lost by a narrow margin. In the past 5 games, they have lost a total of only 19 points, an average of less than 4 points per game. But as the saying goes, “losing by 2 points is also a loss”, and these losses have taken a huge toll on morale.
2.2 Pressure on coach Spoelstra
Two days ago, head coach Erik Spoelstra was still emphasizing that “perseverance is our only option”. However, after the loss to the Hornets, he also admitted, “There are some games you simply cannot explain. We must first solve those obvious problems.” It is clear that the usually calm coach is also beginning to feel the pressure.
3. The impact of Butler’s departure: the Heat’s offense and defense have declined across the board
3.1 The data is stark
After Butler left, the Heat’s offense and defense plummeted. At the beginning of the season, when Butler was still on the team, the Heat’s offensive efficiency reached 113, and their net points per game were enough to rank among the top four teams in the East. However, with his departure, the team’s offensive efficiency dropped to the middle or bottom of the league, and even entered lottery-level territory.
Meanwhile, Butler’s performance after joining the Warriors has been extraordinary. In the 13 games he has played, the Warriors have only lost one game, while the Heat have only won four games in the same period. This stark contrast undoubtedly makes people question the decisions of the Heat management.
3.2 Lack of ability to tear apart defenses
Butler‘s value is not just reflected in the numbers, but more importantly, his ability to tear apart the opponent’s defense and score points for his teammates in critical moments. Right now, the Heat can only rely on Heurot and Terry Rozier to score off the break. Unfortunately, the technical characteristics of these two guards are not suitable for such an important role.
Heiro shoots nine 3-pointers per game, but only one-third of those shots come from near the basket. Rozier is in a slump, with his points per game plummeting from 16 last season to 11 this season, and his field goal percentage is only 51%. This offensive combination is hardly capable of creating a threat for the opponent, let alone turning the tide in critical moments.
4. Limitations of the current lineup
4.1 Role players struggle to take the lead
Apart from Heiro and Lozier, the other core players of the Heat are also generally in a slump. Nikola Jović (Hakeem) is getting worse with each game, Duncan Robinson (Duncan) has hit a ceiling in his career, and Bam Adebayo (Bam) is struggling to produce despite his hard work. The only bright spot is Jović, who is still improving, but he obviously cannot save the entire team on his own.
4.2 Wiggins’s adaptation problems
New recruit Andrew Wiggins has filled the gaps in the frontcourt in terms of defense and scoring, but his efficiency has dropped significantly. His three-point percentage has dropped from 38% in his Warriors days to 31%, and his true shooting percentage is only 53%. Adebayo once expressed the hope that Wiggins would regain his All-Star form, but judging from the current situation, this hope may be overly optimistic.
5. Summary: The Heat need to re-examine their future direction
5.1 Lack of a core on offense
The Heat currently do not have a star player who can change the defensive layout, and the efforts of role players alone cannot make up for the lack of talent. Even if the defensive end tries its best, it will still be unable to score in the crucial moments, and will watch helplessly as the opponent uses the individual abilities of their star players to pry open the defense.
5.2 Perhaps rebuilding is the right way
Jeff Teague is blunt: “The Heat are like this every year. They don’t have anyone who can change the course of a game. Butler used to be able to, but they let him go. Wiggins can certainly score 20 points, but he can’t change the situation either.” Perhaps as Teague says, it’s time for the Heat to consider rebuilding.
Instead of continuing to rely on tactical diligence to compensate for strategic deficiencies, they should dive into the lottery, collect high-round draft picks, and reserve more potential rising stars for the future. After all, even the best defense needs a reliable offensive engine to support it. If the Heat want to return to the championship race, finding a stable “pillar” player is the most urgent task.
As can be seen from the above analysis, the departure of Butler not only removed the fig leaf from the Heat, but also made the team realize that relying solely on tenacity is no longer enough to support high-level competition. The road ahead may be difficult, but only by facing the problem head-on can a true revival be ushered in.
